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Fedor Emelianenko and Tim Sylvia Set For MMA Superfight

by Stan Leung
Mixed Martial Arts Betting and MMA odds
April 8, 2008

“[Sylvia] is a good fighter, a strong fighter, the former UFC heavyweight champion, which is important. I am looking forward to fighting him and training hard for this fight.”

About four years ago Sylvia called out Fedor Emelianenko after his UFC fight and wanted to fight and beat down the Pride heavyweight champion. Well now the time has come and he will get to put the money where his mouth is.

Tim “the Maniac” Sylvia (24-4) gets what he wants, a fight with the former best pound for pound fighter in the world in Fedor. Confirmed by the fighting-mma.com staff, top ranked heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko will fight Tim Sylvia on July 19, 2008 under the Affliction promotion at the American Airlines Center in Dallas. The fight will be televised and aired by HDNet Fights which is owned by Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban who now makes a major move in the world of mixed martial arts like he said he would a year ago. This super mixed martial arts fight will be a collaborative effort by Affliction who is connected with Oscar De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions and billionaire NBA basketball owner Mark Cuban.

This fight was able to take place once Sylvia was let go of his contract by the UFC after his lost with Antonio “Minotauro” Rodrigo at UFC 81: “Breaking Point” for the UFC interim heavyweight championship last February. Sylvia had one fight left on his UFC contract by the organization decided to let Sylvia to sign with his long time manager, Monte Cox, who runs Adrenaline MMA promotion. Emelianenko was recently granted his official release from his contract to M-1 Global, of which he signed a letter of intent to compete inside the confines of the promotion late last year.

Fedor Emelianenko takes this much needed fight as he has been criticized for fighting weak competition over the last two years. Emelianenko was once regarded as the most pound-for-pound mixed martial artist on the planet but his recent competition were either money brags or free show fights. Four of his last fights have been against Hong Man Choi (freak show), Matt Lindland (a middleweight), Mark Coleman (past his prime) and Zuluzinho (freak show) and he desperately needs to fight someone in the heavyweight division who is a worthy opponent.

Fedor Emelianenko has it all as a fighter. He has the striking ability and can fight on the ground. But Sylvia has been fighting top level opponents and Fedor has never fought someone that big and mobile. Sylvia has the ability to knock Fedor out and has decent takedown defense and Fedor has been known to cut easily. Though the sports betting odds are not out yet most sportsbook odds makers should have Fedor as a heavy favorite.

Sylvia is coming off of his second straight loss in yet another bid to regain his heavyweight title. He was submitted by interim champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira at UFC 81 while Fedor has not lost since December of 2000 to Tsuyoshi Kohsaka due to a cut on his forehead. Fedor has fought the best of the best in the heavyweight division and beaten them with ease like Mirko Filipović, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (twice and 1 NC), Kevin Randleman, Mark Coleman (twice), Gary Goodridge, Heath Herring, and Semmy Schilt but he has not fought a top level guy since 2005. Sylvia has fought and beaten Brandon Vera, Jeff Monson, Andrei Arlovski (twice), and Cabbage.